Extraction with air venting

• US 7,845,045 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Krebs, Alan J., Lenkiewicz, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US12/339,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 153/20, 153/89
• US Class Current: 15/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4008 Arrangements of switches, indicators or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits

Abstract

An upright deep cleaner including a base housing pivotally connected to an upright handle, the upright handle carrying a liquid supply tank and the base housing including a recovery tank. The liquid supply tank includes an internal siphon tube for ensuring liquid flow to a feed valve when the upright handle is in the inclined position. The base housing includes a suction nozzle adjacent a spray bar, and removable floating brush for contacting a surface being cleaned, the brush being interchangeable with a bare floor tool including a sponge, brush, and squeegee. The recovery tank includes an internal baffle for preventing foaming of solution and a tank vent housing including a sponge-type filter to prevent spray from exiting the recovery tank. A vacuum motor cooling outlet is positioned on underside of the base housing to distribute air heated by the motor onto the surface to be cleaned.

Claims

1. A portable surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a base housing adapted for movement along a surface to be cleaned;

an upright handle pivotally mounted to the base module;

a liquid dispensing system comprising;

a liquid dispenser associated with the base module for applying liquid to a surface to be cleaned;

a liquid supply tank removably mounted to the base housing or handle for holding a supply of cleaning liquid;

a liquid supply conduit fluidly connected to the liquid supply tank and to the dispenser for supplying liquid to the dispenser;

a liquid recovery system comprising;

a recovery tank removably mounted on the base housing or handle and having a liquid recovery chamber for holding recovered liquid and an inlet opening at an upper portion of the recovery tank, a top wall of the recovery tank being shaped to direct the flow of dirty liquid downwardly in the liquid recovery chamber;

a suction nozzle associated with the base housing and adapted to draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned;

a working air conduit fluidly connected to the inlet opening and extending between the recovery chamber and the suction nozzle;

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the recovery chamber for generating a flow of working air from the nozzle through the working air conduit and through the recovery chamber to thereby draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and working air conduit, and into the recovery chamber to thereby recover the dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned;

the improvement comprising;

the recovery tank has an outlet opening and a filter mounted in the outlet opening.

2. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a tank vent mounted in the recovery tank outlet opening and the filter is mounted in the tank vent.

3. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tank vent is snap-fit into the outlet opening.

4. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a diverter in the recovery tank in alignment with the inlet opening for breaking up the flow of dirty liquid entering the liquid recovery chamber.

5. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a baffle.

6. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the baffle is positioned below the inlet opening and diverter.

7. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the baffle includes a plurality of openings for passage of dirty liquid and air therethrough.

8. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the baffle can disperse the flow of dirty liquid into the recovery tank to prevent at least one of the force of the expelled dirty liquid from splashing liquid already collected in the recovery tank, reducing the likelihood of excess liquid splatter exceeding the capacity of the filter, and reducing the formation of foam in the dirty liquid.

9. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the working air conduit is formed at least in part integrally with the recovery tank.

10. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further including the vacuum source includes an inlet conduit connected to the working air conduit and a grill in the inlet conduit to prevent debris from entering the vacuum source.

11. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 10, and further including a flow restricting baffle upstream from the grill in the inlet conduit.

12. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum source is fluidly coupled into the flow of working air upstream of the recovery chamber and downstream of the nozzle.

13. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a reinforced sponge disposed parallel to and between a squeegee and a plurality of bristles for cleaning a bare floor.

14. A portable surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a base housing adapted for movement along a surface to be cleaned;

an upright handle pivotally mounted to the base module;

a liquid dispensing system comprising;

a liquid dispenser associated with the base module for applying liquid to a surface to be cleaned;

a liquid supply tank removably mounted to the handle or base housing for holding a supply of cleaning liquid;

a liquid supply conduit fluidly connected to the liquid supply tank and to the dispenser for supplying liquid to the dispenser;

a liquid recovery system comprising;

a recovery tank removably mounted on the base housing or handle and having a liquid recovery chamber for holding recovered liquid;

a suction nozzle associated with the base housing and adapted to draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned;

a working air conduit extending between the recovery chamber and the suction nozzle and formed at least in part integrally with the recovery tank;

a vacuum source in fluid communication with the recovery chamber for generating a flow of working air from the nozzle through the working air conduit and through the recovery chamber to thereby draw dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle and working air conduit, and into the recovery chamber to thereby recover the dirty liquid from the surface to be cleaned;

the improvement comprising;

the recovery tank has an outlet opening for passage of air therethrough directly to the atmosphere during cleaning operations.

15. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the outlet opening is disposed laterally of a longitudinal axis of the base housing.

16. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 14, and further comprising a reinforced sponge disposed parallel to and between a squeegee and a plurality of bristles for cleaning a bare floor.

17. A portable surface cleaning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the squeegee is disposed forward of the sponge, and the plurality of bristles is disposed rearward of the sponge.